BURLINGTON, VT. – Matt Hahn has been named a men’s basketball assistant coach at the University of Vermont. First-year head coach Mike Lonergan, who began at Vermont in March, made the announcement today. Hahn joins John Sanow and Hajj Turner as full-time assistants on the Vermont staff.

“Matt brings a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to Vermont,” commented Lonergan. “He already has established himself as an excellent recruiter in this region and is a great addition to our staff. I have had a great basketball relationship with him since high school when I recruited him to go to Catholic University.”

A 2000 graduate of Maryland, Hahn was on his father Bill’s staff at LaSalle for three seasons from 2001 to 2004, serving two years as an assistant coach and one as the director of basketball operations. He also has been a regular at many basketball camps throughout the northeast region including the Eastern Invitational in eastern Pennsylvania.

Hahn, a native of Columbia, Maryland, was a reserve guard on the Terrapins under Gary Williams. In each of his four years, Maryland reached the NCAAs including making the regional semifinals (‘Sweet Sixteen’) in 1998 and 1998. A member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll, he was the team captain as a senior and his teammates included NBA regulars Steve Francis, Steve Blake and Juan Dixon.

 

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Utah State Adds Assistant

 

LOGAN, UT - Don Holst, a former head coach at the University of Montana, has been named an assistant coach at Utah State University it was announced on Tuesday by USU head coach Stew Morrill.

Holst spent 15 years as a coach at the University of Montana, including four years as the head coach from 1999 to 2002 as he led the Grizzlies to a 57-56 record.  During his last season in Missoula, Holst led Montana to the NCAA Tournament for just the fourth time in school history.

Holst began his collegiate coaching career in 1988 as an assistant for Morrill, who was then the head coach at Montana.  In all, Holst spent four years (1988-91) as an assistant under Morrill at Montana before spending seven years (1992-98) as an assistant for then Grizzly head coach Blaine Taylor.

"Don Holst is an exciting addition to our coaching staff," said Morrill.  "I am obviously very comfortable with Don and our past association gives him a jump start in terms of knowing what is expected.  Having been a head coach, Don is very familiar with every aspect of Division I basketball.

"Don has great people skills and relates well to everyone he comes in contact with," added Morrill.  "He's one of those guys you enjoy seeing every day.  I am confident he will make significant contributions to Utah State Basketball."

Prior to his 15-year tenure at Montana, Holst began his coaching career in Montana at the high school level as he was the head coach at Ennis High School from 1976-78.  Holst was then the head coach at Harlowtown High School from 1978-81 before becoming the head coach at Florence High School from 1981-87.  In his 12 years as a high school coach, Holst's teams won five conference championships and two district championships.

"I think it's ironic that coach Morrill was the guy that got me started in this business about 18 years ago and has now got me back into it," said Holst.  "There is a great comfort level between us in terms of coaching philosophy, I can't think of a better guy to work for.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me to be associated with one of the top 30 programs in the country and one of the top five programs in the west," added Holst.

Holst is a 1975 graduate of Northern Montana College where he earned bachelor's degrees  in history and English.
 

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FDU Adds Two Recruits

HACKENSACK, NJ - Farleigh Dickinson head coach Tom Green announced on May 24 that Cameron Tyler (Jamaica, NY) and Darryl Johnson (Atlantic City, NJ) have signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) to attend Fairleigh Dickinson University and play men's basketball beginning in the fall of 2005.

Tyler is a 6-foot, 190-pound guard out of Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts, where he averaged 10.0 points, five assists, three rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Prior to Notre Dame Prep, Tyler attended Cardozo High School in New York, where he had a strong playing career, earning All-Queens honors his senior year after averaging 27.1 points, six assists and 6.4 rebounds per game.

"Cameron is very quick and a good shooting combination guard," said Green. "He can play the point guard or the two guard for us. He played at some good programs and had a lot of success and we hope that he brings his winning ways to Fairleigh Dickinson."

Johnson is a 6-foot-8, 205 pound forward out of Atlantic City High School. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game for the Vikings, who won the state Group IV Championship. He averaged 11 rebounds and five blocks per game, receiving Second Team All-Conference honors from the Cape Atlantic League.

"Darryl was part of a great team that won the state championship and had a tremendous year," said Green. "He played an instrumental part in the team's success."

After finishing 2004-05 with a 13-5 mark in league play, the Knights won the Northeast Conference Championship, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history. They ended a 20-13 season with a first round loss to top-seeded and top-ranked Illinois, 67-55, in Indianapolis, IN.

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UC Riverside Adds Los Angeles Guard

 

RIVERSIDE, CA -Sean Cunningham, a 6-3, 190 pound guard, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at UC Riverside, Head Coach David Spencer announced Tuesday.

Cunningham, out of Daniel Murphy High School in Los Angeles, averaged over 24 points and seven rebounds per game, earning first-team All-CIF honors in Division IV-AA as well as All-League First Team recognition. He was named to the LA Times Central City All-Region team. Murphy also earned first team All-CIF honors as a junior in 2003-04.

"We are pleased that Sean will become a Highlander. He is both an excellent student and an outstanding basketball player," Spencer said. "We are fortunate to get such a gifted young man given our late start in recruiting him. He is a very athletic and multi dimensional player who goes hard all the time. He will fit very well into what we are trying to accomplish."

Spencer said that the coaching staff is continuing to recruit and is on the hunt for quality big men to augment the roster.

"We aren't done yet," Spencer said. "We fully intend to add some more size and athleticism in tourt. It will continue to be a busy summer for us."
 

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Fresno State Picks Up Quality Cal Transfer

 

FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State men’s basketball coach Steve Cleveland announced today that former University of California player Dominic McGuire has elected to transfer to Fresno State. McGuire, a junior-to-be, will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs beginning in the 2006-07 season.

 

McGuire, a 6-8, 210-pound forward, will be on the roster for the upcoming 2005-06 campaign, but per NCAA transfer guidelines, he will sit out the season while still being allowed to practice with the team. Because he has not yet used his redshirt, McGuire will not lose a year of eligibility while sitting out.

 

“Dominic is an outstanding defender, rebounder and shot blocker,” said Cleveland. “Sitting out this year as a transfer will be a great opportunity for him to develop his offensive skills and become a more complete player.

           

A native of San Diego, McGuire played in 28 games, starting 23, while averaging 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks. He played in 24.6 minutes per game and finished tied for fourth on the Golden Bears in scoring.

 

McGuire scored in double figures in 11 games, playing as both a guard and forward during the season. He was named to the all-tournament team of the Golden Bear Classic after leading California to the tournament title, scoring 10 points each in victories over Hampton and Pepperdine.

 

As a freshman, McGuire played in 26 games, starting four, while averaging 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds.

 

“Dominic was a valuable contributor at Cal, and he’s played at one of the highest levels of college basketball,” Cleveland said. “He is really going to improve us in the areas of rebounding and post defense.”

 

McGuire is a graduate of Lincoln (San Diego) High School, where he helped lead his team to three league championships and a 29-4 mark as a senior. He was selected to the all-state Division IV team as well as first-team all-league his final year at Lincoln.

 

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